Crash
by TheVoiceInMyHead
Summary: Pony choked on a sob and he bit down on his cheeks. He couldn't say it. Saying it out loud, to Darry, would make it real. It couldn't be real. It just couldn't.


**A/N: New oneshot centering around those lovable Curtis boys. Kinda angsty..kinda sad. Not really my absolute best but something I've been thinking of writing for a while. Enjoy!**

**(And yes, this is only a oneshot. Sorry!) ;)**

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Crash

It was half past four on a Thursday afternoon when the phone rang.

Ponyboy was lazing in Darry's chair, lost inside of a book and huffed at the distraction. The house was, for once, empty, with Two-Bit over at Kathy's and Darry at work. It was almost always empty nowadays with Steve and Soda being drafted and all. However, the peace and rare quiet with the absence of Two-Bit was hard to come by and Pony hated being pulled out of his book when it was just getting good. But, groaning and mumbling, he padded over to the phone in his sock-feet and picked up on the last ring.

"Hello?"

It was a man. Unfamiliar and gruff, he spoke briefly and quickly. Pony's ears seemed to be filled with cotton, cause he just _couldn't _be hearing this. The man's words seemed to blend together in spiralling, confusing sentences. None of it made any sense, it all seemed so fast, all so unbelievable. There was a buzzing in the back of his brain, his eyes were staring out the window, unseeing. He hadn't even noticed the man stopped talking.

"Son? Are you all right?"

The phone slipped from Pony's sweaty hands and hit the floor with a resounding crash. His book slipped out of the other and fell lopsided, crushing about half of the pages. Everything shook in front of Pony's eyes; the world was ending. His knees shook violently underneath him and Ponyboy hit the ground fast and hard, thinking he'd never be able to get up again.

It was Two-Bit who found him.

It was darker outside now and Two-Bit had come swinging through the door, giddily singing about his and Kathy's latest fight. He stumbled into the room, clearly a little bit tipsy, and nearly stepped on Ponyboy. One look at the boy on the ground had sobered him up, wiping the smile clean off Two-Bit's laughing face and with a hasty 'Oh, Lord', he sprinted down the front steps to get Darry.

The rattling of Darry's truck was loud enough to wake half the neighborhood, but the only thing on his mind was getting to his little brother fast. Two-Bit didn't know what he saw, all he had said was that Pony was lying on the ground, the phone was smashed to pieces and something in Pony's face looked dead. Darry had literally jumped off the roof he was working on and dashed to his truck, not even bothering to tell his boss.

He took the three front steps in one, and burst through the door. He nearly broke down at the sight waiting for him.

Kicking away the broken plastic from the phone, Darry kneeled beside Pony's head and ran a light hand through his hair.

"Pony? Whatsa matter, honey?"

Ponyboy didn't seem to hear him. He simply clenched his eyes shut tighter, as if trying to erase some painful thought, and clenched his jaw just as tight, grinding his teeth together. His face shone in the light and Darry saw that it was wet. Pony had been crying. Darry's heart was beating fast against his ribs, thinking the of the worst possible things that could've reduced his smiling little brother to this. He gulped hard.

"What happened to the phone, Pony?"

Pony choked on a sob and he bit down on his cheeks. He couldn't say it. Saying it out loud, to Darry, would make it real. It couldn't be real. It just couldn't.

"Ponyboy?" Darry said softly, "Please. You're scarin' me."

Pony opened his eyes and looked into his brother's face. Darry was it; all he had left of his family. The thought crashed against his head, making him dizzy. He grasped the front of Darry's black t-shirt and burying his face in it, cried so hard he thought he might explode. Darry bit back a sob, not knowing what was wrong or how to make it any better. He rubbed Pony's head and willed himself not to crack.

"What is it, Pone? What?" His voice broke slightly on the last word. Whatever this was, it was bad. But he had to know.

Two-Bit sauntered in and leaned against the door frame looking troubled.

The salty tears fell onto Pony's tongue as he opened his mouth, wanting to tell Darry but wanting nothing more than to never have to say it. He gasped for air, and through the tears, pulled Darry closer to him wanting to hold his only brother, never wanting to let him go. Darry looked at Pony, tears rimming the sides of his eyes. Ponyboy looked at the broken telephone and back at Darry, new tears already making their way down his cheeks.

"He's gone, Darry. Soda ain't coming back home."

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**How Pony was told of Soda's death from my perspective. Hope you all liked! Please review with comments/criticism/etc. :)**


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